Reflector element and mounting therefor



' y 29 19 1 c. G. BORDEAUX 2,250,621

REFLECTOR ELEMENT AND MOUNTING THEREFOR Filed Jan. 14, 1939 6/0410? 6. flora 622412:

M @WXW 47'7'0RNEY.

Patented July 29, 1941 orrlcs REFLECTOR ELEMENT AND MOUNTING REFOlt Claude e. Bordeaux, Hoosick Falls, N. Y.

Application January 14, 1939, Serial No. 250,963

3 Claims. (01. 88- 82) My invention more particularly relates to an improvement in reflecting buttons and the supports therefor oi the general type that are commonly installed by the side of a highway and which reflect the light emitted from the headlights of an automobile. Such buttons or signals are used at dangerous points in the highway as a signal to drivers and for other purposes. Buttons of this character which properly reflect the light are known. In practice, however, the reflecting surfaces of such devices have not been properly sealed against the action of the atmosphere'with the result that the reflecting surfaces Like referencecharacters indicate like parts throughout the drawing. v

Referring to the drawing, and first to Fig, 1, i indicates generally az'mold comprising a lower section llil and an upper section [02,. It will be understood that the two sections of the mold are aligned bysuitable dowel pins (not illustrated) in a well known manner. The lower section of have become tarnished in use 'wi tha resulting loss of reflectivity which eventually becomes so pronounced that the button is of no further use and must be discarded. In accordance with my invention the reflecting surface of the reflector is sealed against the atmosphere and may be used for an indeflnite 2o period of time without loss of efllciency.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore, is a reflecting button and a mounting therefor in which the reflecting surface is permanently sealed against the atmosphere.

Another object of my invention is a combined reflecting button and mounting therefor in which the reflecting surface of the reflector is readily and permanently focused with respect to the lens at the front end of the glass bodyforming the reflecting element.

A still further object of my invention is a device of the foregoing character which is cheap, easily manufactured and which permanently retains its characteristics throughoutthe life of the element.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment thereof and in whichv Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a two part mold with the glass button in position in the mold and ready for a charge of the heat ,curing plastic material which is to form the mounting a for the reflecting button;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through a reflectin button and the mounting therefor embodying my invention; a I

Fig. 3 is a pl n. view of Fig.2; I

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the reflecting button,and I q Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the reflecting element embodying my invention mounted in a support. a'

the mold is provided with a concave recess II in which is received one end of an elongated reflecting button [2 formed of .glass or the like. The reflecting button is graduallytapered outwardly from the end which is received in the recess to what is at this time the upper exposed end of the reflecting'button. The opposite end of th reflecting button, which is at this time freely exposed, is provided with a convex surface l3 on which is mounted a concave reflector I.

having a concave reflecting surface l5 which conforms to the associated convex surface of said reflecting button. The reflecting button I! is preferably provided with a longitudinally extending annular flange l6 forming a ,recess II in which the reflectorv I4 is received, and which retains said reflector in position with its concave surface against'the convex -surface of said button.

The upper section I02 of the mold is provided with a recess l8 which is shown' as circular in form and surrounding the upper end of the reflecting button I 2. The. upper end of the recess I8 is closed by a plunger l9 against which pressure may be applied by any suitable device and in any suitable manner (not illustrated) It will be understood that the reflecting surface of the reflector is formed with respect to the convex I surface at the opposite end of the reflecting Fig. 1.- The recess II in the upper section of the button to direct the light rays forwardly there! from in accordance with well known laws. ,The

portion of the mold surrounding the recess I8 is preferably provided with a chamber 20 to which fluid may be introduced through a suitable passage or passages 2i and from which it may be exhausted through a passage or passages 22.

The combined reflecting button and mounting therefor embodying-my invention may be prepared in the following manner. The two sections of the mold being separated, the reflecting button is placed in the recess Il inthe" lower section of the mold, and the upper section thereof is placed in position over the. lower section, as indicated in mold is then charged with a measured amoimt of heat curing plastic material having -agreater coeflicient of contraction than the glass reflecting button H. A material-which I have found to be particularly well suited for the purposes of my invention is "Bakelite which, as is well known, is a phenol derivative. This material may be procured ,in the form of a powder and may be charged into the mold in this form. The. mold,

having been heated by steam which is introduced.

through the passage 2| to the chamber 20, is raised to a sufliciently high temperature to melt the Bakelite? and it is thus compressed under heat and pressure around the upper end of the glass button I2 thereby fllling the recess l1 and embedding the upper end of the reflecting button I 2 in the material I When the two sections of the mold have been c osed a sufficient length of time to permit proper curing of the heat curing plastic words which I have used are words of descriptoin rather than of limitation and that changes within the purview of the .appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broadest aspects.

What I'claim is:

1. A light reflecting element and a mounting.

therefor comprising a body of light transmitting material one end of which is convex in form and freely exposed to the air, a body formed of heat cured Bakelite in which the opposite end of material, water is admitted to the chamber through the passage II to chill the upper section of the mold and the reflecting element of the form illustrated in Fig. 2 is forced from the mold by the plunger is and is ready for use. As the heat curing plastic material which forms the mounting for the reflecting button has a higher-coefficient of contraction than does the glass button, it surrounds the same so closely that access .of moisture to the reflecting surface I! is efl'ectively prevented and the reflecting elesaid body of light transmitting material is embedded, such embedded end of said body being formed with a convex surface and a concave reflector mounted on said convex surface of said body andconforming thereto, said body of heat cured plastic material having in its uncured condition a coefficient of contraction greater than ithat of said body 'of light transmitting material,

said plastic material extending laterally'beyond said reflector thereby sealing the same.

2. A light reflecting element and amounting therefor comprising a body of light transmitting material one end of which is convex in form and freely exposed, to the air, -a bodyvof heat cured ment indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 may be used indefinitely without the reflecting surface of the reflector becoming tarnished.

By embedding the larger end of the reflecting element in the heat cured plastic material 25,

. the button is efl'ectively locked in said material with nopossibility of its being removed therefrom. Relative movement betweenthe reflecting button and the hardened plastic material in which it is embedded is further prevented by providing the glass button with laterally extending projections III which are embedded in the heat cured plastic material.

'The reflecting element may conveniently be mounted. in an opening 23 in a supporting member 24 in which the reflecting button of the refleeting element is received and in which it may plastic material in which the opposite end of said body is embedded, such embedded end of said body being formed with a convex surface, said body being tapered from the inner end to the 'outer end thereof and a concave reflector mounted on the embedded end of said body of light transmitting material and conforming to the convex surface thereof, said body of heat cured plastic material having a co-eflicient of contraction greater than that of said body of light transmitting material and extending laterally beyond said reflector thereby sealing the same.

3. A- light reflecting element and a mounting therefor comprising an elongated body of light transmitting material one end of which is of greater diameter than the other and both ends of which are convex in form, the end of greater be secured by any convenient means, the hardened plastic material support.

It will, of course, be understood that in practice a,plurality of such reflecting elements are assembled in any desired design as by forming letters and words.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment it is to be understood that the being seated against said 

